Phoenix I: From the Ashes
by JoBO
Summary: The Phoenix cast it's shadow over Teen Titans. Robin dies - or does he? Does the boy, Jake, find out who he is? (Chapter 18 up - Last chapter) - Please R
1. BB's Joke

_Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, etc._

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**The Phoenix series:**

_Phoenix I: From the Ashes_

_Phoenix II: Flames Without Limits_

_Phoenix III: The Secret Flame_

_Phoenix IV: The Ring of Fire_

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_Phoenix I_

**From the Ashes **

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BB's Joke**

"Beast Boy!"

Robin came running out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist. The water was dripping from him.

"Beast Boy! I'm going to kill you!"

Cyborg, who sat in the sofa and saw TV, turned around as Robin came running into the living room and looked at him. He began to laugh, which made Robin stop up like he just had remembered the embarrassing about the situation. Just in the same moment came Starfire and Raven into the room. Starfire tried to hide her smile, but in the end she had to laugh out high. Even Raven had to smile.

Robin walked out of the room with an offended look on his face. He had for a moment forgot all about Beast Boy.

Rave sat down in the sofa next to Cyborg, who almost had come over his fit of laughter.

"Beast Boy?"

Cyborg nodded.

"I think so, but you have to agree that it looked cool."

"Orange hair!"

This time not even Raven could control herself enough to not laugh out high. The whole situation had been so hilarious.

The alarm went off.

Beast Boy, who had been wisely enough to hide himself under Robin's fit, came into the room.

"Who's the best?"

He began to dance around

"Me!"

Robin, who now was dressed, but still with orange hair, came into the room. As he saw Beast Boy the anger grew in him, and he would attack him if it not had been for Cyborg, who stood in the way.

"Titans go!"

An army of robots had hijacked some busses on the city's bridge. They demanded that their leader, who the Titans had caught some weeks before, should be released. The Titans throw themselves into the battle; even though it seemed like every time that they defeated one robot a dozen new ones replace it.

Robin ducked down and few seconds later a red laser beam cut the air where his head would have been. He hit out after the robot, which then smashed up against the pier and broke into thousand of pieces. He was about to throw himself into the battle again, when he heard the scream. With he eyes he followed it and saw a group of the robots, which had begun to push one of the busses over to the edge of the bridge. Without thinking he ran over to them.

Starfire, who had been fighting next to him, saw it and was about go after him, when a group of robots blocked the way. She fired out at them and they sank to the ground. It only gave her a few seconds to look around after the others before the next row of robots throw themselves at her. Cyborg was fighting in the other end of the bridge together with Beast Boy, who as she look at him turned from a gorilla to a rhino. Behind her she hear could Raven conjure.

Her eyes landed on Robin, who had reached the bus and was fighting the robots around it. Then she saw it. She cried out after him, but it was too late. A laser beam hit him in the back and he fell out over the edge of the bridge on down in the rough water.

With a scream she throw herself against the robots. She couldn't think. With a supernatural strength did she fight the robots one by one, and soon the Titans stood alone on the bridge. Beast Boy, who also had seen Robin's fall, ran over to the edge of the bridge and jumped in the water as he turned into a shark.

The rest of the Titans ran over to where Robin had fell down. There was nothing to see except from the dark water.


	2. The Loss

"Robin, where are you?!"

Starfire flew over the dark ocean one more time hoping to find her lost friend. Behind her the sun was on it's way down. They had been searching after Robin for hours without finding him.

She got a glint of Beast Boy, who still as a shark was searching the ocean under its surface, and a new hope rose in her. Robin had been in more tough things that this. It was just a matter of time before they were going to find him.

"Titans, I have found him…I think it's him."

It was Beast Boy. Her communicator crackled for a second.

"NO!!!"

The scream hung in the dark air around her for a moment and then a second later it got blew away by the pressure from a nearby explosion.

She flew over to the explosion and quickly she found Beast Boy, who had taken the form as an elephant. He took seawater into his trunk and tried put the flames out with it. Soon after came Raven and Cyborg.

Beast Boy had tears in his eyes, as he told them about what he had seen. He hadn't found Robin around the bridge, so he had begun to swim in circles around it. In the end he had come to the shore, where something on land had caught his eyes. He had seen a figure in a red and green outfit, a black and yellow cape and with orange hair run into a building, which just seconds later had exposed.

Cyborg scanned the building and confirmed that there was a person in there. The hope rose in Starfire one more time.

"Is it Robin?"

"I can't tell…Starfire…he…he… is dead."

It hit her like a knife in the heat. She felt down on her knees and hide her face with the hands. She didn't even notice that the fire department came.

Raven, who had been snooping around in the area around the building, came over to the rest of her friends. She carried something in her hands.

"It was Robin!"

She held the thing up. It was a mask. It was Robin's mask.

---

Raven came into the living room and sat down in the sofa next to Cyborg.

"They are sleeping now."

"That's good."

They sat there for a long time in silence. Just looking at the proof of their friend's dead on the table - the cape and the mask. Hoping it would disappear. That it all just had been a dream.

"It couldn't had been…"

The voice died. The both knew the answer. The firefighter had put out the fire and had afterwards found the body. It was burn to unrecognizability, but next to the body was the cape. Robin's cape!

"But why did he take it off? If he only had…then he would…"

Her voice died as Cyborg hugged her. Behind them a lamp exposed. Raven control herself again and stood up.

"Oh, thanks, I going to bed now. You should also try to get some sleep."

"Okay, are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded.

"Well, night then."

"Night."

She walked out of the room and down the hall. She was about to go into her room, when she heard something. She followed the sound to Beast Boy's room. Was he crying? She slowly knocked at his door and when there were no changes did she open it a little.

"BB, are you okay?"

There was no answer. She was about to close it again, when she heard someone snuffle. She looked into the room and saw Beast Boy sitting in the window. He was crying. She walked over and sat down next to him.

"It's okay. It's good to get it out."

She laid an arm around his shoulder.

"He hated me. I shouldn't have done it. Maybe it was therefore he…"

His words went into tears. First Raven didn't understand him, but them she remembered. It was only and half day ago, but it already felt like years.

"No, he was your friend – our friend. He knows…oh, knew you just meant it as a joke."

"But he is always so…you know."

"That's what made him Robin."

The boy looked her right into the eyes. For a moment it felt like the world spun around them, then a lamp exposed behind them and broke the moment.


	3. Jake

He opened his eyes.

He couldn't see anything for the first couple of minutes, but then he eyes got used to the light. It was about that time the headache hit him. It just came and made it impossible for him to think.

He looked around in the room. It was a small white room. Besides the bed, which he was lying in, were there only a little table, a chair and a sink, which had a mirror over it.

The door opened and a man dressed in a white coat came in.

"Oh, you are awake. Welcome to the world of the living."

"Were…were am I?"

The man sat down on the chair.

"At St. Lucas hospital. I'm Dr. Bellman, your doctor."

"My doctor?"

"Yeah, you have been unconscious in around a week."

The boy felt back on his pillow. He tried to think, but the headache stopped him. The doctor took some papers from the end of the bed.

"Well, since you are awake, then maybe you can cast some light over the whole situation."

Dr. Bellman took a pen from his pocket.

"First, what is your name?"

The boy tried to think, but yet again the headache stopped him. The doctor wrote something down on the papers.

"Okay, can you then tell me what happened?"

"I can't remember."

The doctor looked up from the paper.

"Is there anything you can remember?"

The boy shook his head.

---

The boy was sitting in the sofa and saw TV. It was almost two weeks since he had awakened and he had got a little better every minute since then. Today he had only one time had the headache.

He heard someone sneaking up behind him.

"Hi Gary."

Gary sat down beside him.

"Whew! You are good, but some day I going to success."

The boy smiled.

"So Jake, what are you seeing."

Jake…the boy liked the name, but somehow he knew it wasn't his. The memory of how he got the name still stood strong in his memory. The day, that he had come round from his unconsciousness, had Dr. Bellman told him just as he was about to go, that he had a visitor. Somehow had he imagined it to be a girl with…but it turned out to be a man. He presented himself as Gary McCoy. First the boy thought he was his older brother, but he wasn't. He had be the one who had found the boy two weeks before.

Gary had been very easy to talk to, so they had very quickly become friends. He was able to get the boy to forget his amnesia for a time, so the boy was always looking forward to his visits, which were every day.

One day Gary suggested that, they found a more normal name to the boy rather that John Doe, which was what the hospital called one in Jake's position. They had after talking for hours come up whit the name Jake. Jake, it was his name for now. It gave him a sense of security that he was going to find out who he was.

"Jake, are you okay? Is it one of your headaches?"

He woke up from his thoughts and saw that Gary was looking worried at him.

"No, I was just thinking."

"Any news?"

The boy shook his head.

"Well, then I have some."

The hope rose in the boy. Had Gary found his family?

"I have just talked to Dr. Bellman. He says you are fit enough to get out of here."

"But where…I don't have?"

Gary laid a hand on his shoulder.

"I have asked them if I could take you home with me and they have agreed."

"But how?"

"You are ready to be discharge and since it almost is Christmas is it very hard to get a place for you at a home. So I asked them if it was okay, if I took you to St. John. Do you want to come home with me?"

St. John was a children's home in the edge of the city. Gary was the superintendent there. It was not big, but due to Gary's stories did the boy know it was very cosy.

The boy nodded.


	4. The Rommate

**The Roommate**

"Welcome to St. Johns!"

The car drove up the driveway to the big house in the end of it. Jake looked at Gary and saw he was smiling, so he tried to put up a happy face. The truth was, that it all made him sad. He had the felling, that he somehow had tried something like this before, but he just couldn't specify it.

The car stopped by the house and was greeted by a group of people. Gary introduced him to the group.

"This is Mrs. Williams"

Gary pointed at an elderly woman in an apron.

"She rules the kitchen, so you better be on guard, when you are in her kingdom."

Mrs. Williams clapped Gary lightly on the cheek and smiled.

"Well, young man, just because you think you're all grown up doesn't it mean I letting you steal all my cookies."

"I wasn't thinking on that."

He turned to Jake and whispered.

"Later I will show you a way to come around her. I found it almost 25 years ago, but it still works."

"25…, but then…"

Gary nodded.

"Yeah, I was once a orphan too, but then I came here and got a family."

He nodded over to the group of kids.

"Well, I better introduced you."

Jake said hello to all the kids, who tried to welcome him as much as they could. Mrs. Williams show him up to his room afterwards. Gary wanted to do it, but a problem with Sam, one of the other kids, kept him occupied. She hadn't been down to greet Jake, because Mrs. Williams had sent her to her room due to some pranks she had done. They came to a door. Mrs. Williams knocked shortly before opened it.

"Hi, Elmer, this is Jake. He is going to be you roommate for a while. Jake, this is Elmer."

A skinny boy with long legs came over to them and tried to give Jake the hand, but he felt over his legs and felt down. He cried like a baby. Mrs. Williams dropped Jake's trunk and comforted him like a little baby. Elmer stopped crying after some minutes, and Mrs. Williams wiped his eyes.

"That was better."

She helped him up.

"So are you ready to say hello to your new friend?"

The boy nodded eagerly and said hello to Jake, who couldn't believe what he just had seen. Elmer was a least the same age as himself, if he wasn't older, but that didn't say much since Jake couldn't remember how old he was. Then he saw Mrs. Williams pleading eyes. He smiled and said hello.

Elmer, who had looked sad, now lighted up and eagerly showed Jake around in his end of the room. There wasn't much, but it was Elmer's. Jake could feel the boy's happiness over having some one to share the room with.

Mrs. Williams and Elmer helped Jake unpack, but it wasn't much so they where quickly finish. Suddenly Mrs. Williams shook her head in despair.

"I'm getting old. I have completely forgot all about your bedding. Oh, Elmer, could you run down to the washing line and get it."

Elmer nodded and eagerly ran out after it. Mrs. Williams sat down on the bed.

"Thanks!"

"What…"

She glanced out at the window and saw Elmer running over to the washing line.

"As you have seen are Elmer not like other kids. Many would just have looked down on him, but you made him feel normal."

"But what is wrong with him?"

"We don't know. He is a mystery like you. Nobody knows him and he haven't told us anything. The doctors think he has some kin of brain damage, but I feel there are much more to him, that we can see."

She glanced out of the window once more and saw Elmer, who still was trying to get the bedding down from the washing line.

"Did you know that it was Elmer, who first found you?"

Jake shook his head.

"Gary hat just pick him up the same day from the social services. He wanted Elmer to calm down; so he took him to the beach, but Elmer ran away just as they arrived. Gary search after him for hours, and just as he was about to give up did he found him. Elmer was sitting in the edge of the water holding you head just above the water."

Jake wanted to ask her, if she knew more, but then he heard Elmer coming up of the stairs.


	5. A girl named Sam

**A girl named Sam**

Elmer threw the dice and got six, but he moved seven spaces. Jake went on, as he hadn't seen it. He threw the dice and only got one. He was about to move, when he heard someone quarrel out in the hallway. So he opened the door to the hallway quietly and saw that it was Gary, who was shouting at girl.

"What in hell where you thinking? You could have hurt yourself or someone else."

"It is not a great deal!"

"What?! It's my job to make sure no one is getting hurt."

Jake could see the changes in the girl's eyes. He felt like the somehow understood her.

"Then you're awful at it."

She went into her room and slammed the door behind her. Gary stood there for a second. Just looking at the door, but as he was about to go he saw Jake. He smiled an awkward smile.

"Hi, have you settle in now?"

"Yeah, was that Sam?

Gary nodded.

"Come let me show you the garden."

They went downstairs and out in the wonderful garden behind the home.

"Did you knew that this house was one of the first ones, that got build around there in 1918"

Jake shook his head.

"We have tried to reconstruct the garden as it was at that time."

"It's very beautiful"

They walked for a while in silence. Jake could feel, that Gary needed some time to clam down.

"I can't blame her for being angry."

They had reached the end of the garden and where on the way back. Gary had clamed down so much that he could talk about it.

"It's quite a sad story. Her parents got murdered around six mounts ago."

Jake felt his heat beat faster.

"Unfortunately, she doesn't have any family left, so the system took her in. That was when the problems really started."

Gary stop up and looked up to the old home.

"She is angry, very angry. I was also that when I first came there, but here I learned that I this could be my new family. I just whish, that I knew how to get her to let us in."

In some way Jake understood Gary's feeling.

---

A loud noise of something breaking, dark figures falling down, screams and the whole time that dam music. A feeling of a great loss, that hit him like an arrow in the heart.

He woke up with a scream bathed in sweat. For a moment he couldn't remember were he was, but as the rate of his heartbeat drop came it all back to him. He knew in his heat that he had had the dream before.

He looked over at Elmer, who still was sleeping. Sleeping very peacefully – like a baby.

He couldn't fall a sleep again so he decided to read a little. Gary had some days ago given him a book, which he wanted to finish, but as he tried to light the bedside lamp knocked he the glass with water down. It smashed up in thousands of pieces, but still it didn't wake Elmer up. Jake swore and tried to get out of the bed without stepping on a glass piece. He knew, that there were a broom and a dustpan down in the kitchen, so he went down after it.

Down in the kitchen he quickly found the stuff and was about to go up to his room again, when he saw her. She came sneaking down of the staircase fully dress. They saw each other in the same moment. She froze for a second, but then she came down to him.

"You haven't seen me, okay?"

He nodded and went up to his room with the broom and the dustpan in each hand. He could behind him hear the front door being closed. He felt like he had betrayed Gary, but somehow he felt a strange connection to the girl.

----

They were in the middle of the breakfast, when Gary came back with Sam. Somehow had Gary known that Sam had ran away in the night and had very early in the morning went after her. She stared at Jake as she came passed the dining room on the way up to her room. Jake knew that she thought he had rat her out. He forgot, that he was carried the big dish with the bread, and it felt out of his hands and down on the floor. It broke.

"Jake!"

Mrs. Williams' voice was a mixture between angry and concerned.

"I think it would be a best, if you help me in the kitchen today. Then maybe you could learn how not to break everything."

He quietly agreed and helped Mrs. Williams clean up the mess. As he had finished his breakfast he went out to Mrs. Williams in the kitchen. She quickly put him into work. She was baking all kinds of cakes and pies, which she sold to the neighbours to get some extra money for the home.

After some time came Sam down and help them. Jake knew it was her punishment, so he didn't say anything.

They worked for a long time in silence with only Mrs. Williams's commands to break it. Then a boy came running into the room.

"Mrs. Williams, Mrs. Williams!"

"Yes, Peter."

"It's Harry. He has felt down of the tree again."

Mrs. Williams dropped the dough she was about to roll out in despair.

"I have told that boy so many times…"

She turned to Jake and Sam.

"You two better behave while I'm gone or else. Keep on working."

Only Jake saw the twinkle in her eye.

They went on working, but not soon after did Sam drop her dough.

"You told Gary!"

The voice was hard.

"No, I don't know…"

"You rat me out!"

"Sam, I know…"

"You don't know anything!"

She angrily hit out after Jake. She missed, but a piece of dough form her hand hit him in the face. The anger grew in Jake, and he took a piece from him own dough and threw it at her. It hit her right under her left eye. She threw the piece back.

Soon it developed into full-blown war. They threw everything that they could get their hands on at the other one. Flour everywhere, eggs smashed all over the walls and other unrecognisable stuff all over. They were about to run out of missiles, when Jake took one of the finished pies and threw it after Sam. She ducked down, but just in the same moment came Gary into the room. The pie hit him right in the face.

"SAMANTHA!!! – JAKE!!!!"

----

Gary had been very angry, but somehow for Jake sake had he been able to take the whole situation with a forced smile. He sentenced them to clean up all the mess and they had to replace all the stuff by doing some work for him.

Sam and Jake was each giving a bucket and a cloth by Mrs. Williams, as she looked suspicious at them.

"This is just something I would had expected from you Samantha, but you, Jake – you have been here less than a day!"

She sighed and went out of the kitchen as she thought they couldn't do more harm there that they already had done.

They had worked a long time in silence, when suddenly Sam began to laugh.

"What?"

"I was just thinking about, how Gary looked like with the pie in the face."

Jake had to laugh too as the memory came back to him.

"I was so sure he was going to kill us."

Sam's eyes went sad.

"No, not you. You are friends with him, but me…"

She turned her head away, but Jake could still hear her snuffle. He went over to her and laid a hand on her shoulder. She responded to it by throwing herself into his arms. She cried and cried. He tried to comfort her, but it was like the tears never would stop. It was the tears she never had cried over her parents dead. Jake also felt some wet running down of his own cheeks.

After a long time stopped the tears and they just sat there, when they heard someone out in the hall, which made them remember where they were. They quickly ended the hug and wiped their eyes.

"Sorry, I don't know was came over me."

"That's okay, somehow I think, that I know how you feel."

"But you have amnesia."

"I have started to remember something."

He told her about the dream.

"It's just pieces, but somehow…"

He stopped in the middle of the sentence. He didn't know what he wanted to say, so he just looked down on his hands.

"I know and thanks Jake."

"I didn't tell Gary about you."

"I know. I have done it before, so he just knew, that I was going to run away. I just needed to get the anger out. I'm sorry."

He looked up and saw that her eyes were almost happy.

"It's okay"

She smiled and looked around in the kitchen.

"So what should we do about this kitchen?"

He tried to look like he was thinking and then came up with something.

"I have a plan!"


	6. Who is he?

(Thanks for the nice reviews)

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**Who is he?**

"Help! Someone help me!"

Beast Boy came running into the Titans Tower and hided behind Raven, who was meditating in the living room.

"BB, I don't have time for this."

"Raven, you need to help me. He is after me!"

She was about to turn him down again, when she saw his eyes. Beast Boy had always had a hard time keeping a straight face when he was joking, but this time he looked really scared.

"Okay, where is he then?"

"He is here."

Beast Boy hided behind Raven again. She looked around in the room without seen anything.

"BB, are you sure that you…?"

Beast Boy popped up from behind Raven and pointed in the direction of the front door.

"He…he is right there!"

Then Raven saw him. A skinny boy with long legs stood in the door. She was about to go in to defence mode, when she sensed a strange feeling of peace. Somehow she just knew, that they had nothing to fear from that boy. First then she really looked at the boy and had to shake her head. He looked so harmless, that she pushed the feeling of something else away.

The boy began to walk over to them, but felt over his long legs. He landed on the floor with a bang and began to cry.

Without thinking went Raven over to him and comforted him. After some minutes he stopped crying and Raven led him over to the sofa.

"BB, stay with him while I find Cyborg."

Beast Boy, who had hided himself behind a table, popped up with a scary look on his face.

"I NOT being alone with him."

Raven sighed.

"Okay, then you go after Cyborg."

"I NOT letting you alone with him. He could kill you."

Raven sighed again. She was absolutely not in the mood for this.

"Okay, then we go together."

Beast Boy agreed, and they went after Cyborg after Raven had tried to make it as comforted for the boy as she could.

They found Cyborg in the workshop. They told him about the boy as they walked back to the living room, but as they came into the room was it empty.

---

She had no more tears, but still she wanted to cry more. Her eyes bore the trace of sleeplessness, and her hair was a mess, but she didn't care. She just lay there on her round bed squeezing the picture of him between her hands. There had been so much she had wanted to say to him, but now it was to late. She couldn't stop thinking about him.

The others had told her, that he would have wanted her to get on with her life, but somehow she just couldn't. A part of her didn't want to believe, that he was gone, even though there was so much proof of that. She had spent the first couple of weeks searching for him every minute. She didn't even stop to eat or sleep, but then had Raven told her about the cape. It had hit her like an arrow in the heat. She had then retreated to her room and hadn't left it since.

She heard a noise and raised her head so she could see. Then she saw him. She jumped up of the bed and the picture of Robin landed in front of the boy. He picked it up.

"Jake!"

The anger grew in Starfire. He shouldn't come here and soil her memory of Robin. She went over to him a tug it out of his hands. He just smiled.

---

They had been looking for the boy everywhere in the Titans Tower. Only one room was left, but Raven didn't think he could be in there. It was Starfire's room.

Maybe the boy had just left the tower, but Raven had the feeling that he still was there. She was about to go away from Starfire's door, when she heard laughter coming from the room. Just some months ago would it have been normal, but after Robin's dead had Starfire changed.

Raven laid a hand on the door handle, but stopped herself before pressing down. What if she had heard wrong? What if…? She heard the laughter again and opened the door.

"Hi, Raven friend"

Starfire and the boy were sitting on her bed playing card. Raven went over to them. She could immediately see the change in Starfire. The anger had left her and she was almost her normally self again, but still could Raven see the grief in her eyes.

"Raven, this is Elmer."

"I know, Starfire. He is listed as missing from a children's home called St. Johns."

"Oh! Is that right, Elmer friend?"

Elmer nod keenly.

---

They droved up the driveway to the big house in the end of it. As they came closer to the house began Elmer to jump around in his seat.

"Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake."

They stopped at the house and were greeted by a man and an elderly woman. Elmer jumped into the woman's arms. Raven would have swore, that she saw a tear fall down from the woman's eye. After some minutes broke Elmer the hug and ran into the house calling after Jake.

"Thank you so much for bringing him home. I'm Gary McCoy."

They shook hands.

"Well, it's okay. I'm glad…"

Raven got interrupted by a red sports car, which came speeding up the driveway. It stop just centimetres from hitting the T-car. A man in a blue suit tripped over to them.

"What a awful place this is!"

He tried to get some mud from his shoes.

"Oh, my name is Ben Draco."

He gave Gary the hand.

"Welcome, I'm Gary McCoy. What can we do for you?"

Ben preformed a little dance as he once more tried to get to mud of his shoes.

"The faster this terrible place can get demolish…"

He remembered where he was and corrected his tie.

"Oh! Well, this letter should explain it."

He gave Gary a white envelope.

"Well, I have to go. Adieu!"

He tripped over to his car again and droved away after he had wiped his shoes with his handkerchief, which he then just throw in the driveway.

Gary opened the envelope and read the letter. He eyes went dark as he read it.

"No, it can't be true. They have bought our loan. If we not pay them $175.000 before five day have gone, then they are going to take our home away."

He suddenly remembered the two titans.

"Oh, I shouldn't press our worries over to you. Thanks again for bringing Elmer home."

"That's okay. We ought to go home now. Cyborg is waiting for us with the dinner."

"Oh, that's okay."

Starfire, who had stood behind Raven the whole time, came forward.

"Can I say goodbye to Elmer?"

Gary smiled.

"Yeah, I think he ran up to his room. Mrs. Williams can show you up."

The elderly woman, Mrs. Williams, took Starfire into the house and up the stairs. Raven had turned the offer to join her down as she said she had a headache. They stopped at a door and Mrs. Williams knocked a little before going in. The room wasn't big, but large enough for two beds. Elmer was sitting on one of them. Starfire went over to him.

"Hi, Elmer friend. I have come to say goodbye to you."

Elmer didn't say anything, but throw himself into Starfire's arms. They hugged. A tear went down her cheek and for the first time in weeks was it not in grief. They ended the hug and Mrs. Williams took Starfire down again. Starfire stopped just as they were about to go out to the others.

"Mrs. Williams, who is Jake?"

"Jake, he is Elmer's best friend. Why?"

"Elmer just kept mentioning him."

Mrs. Williams smiled and they walked out to the others.


	7. It still hurts!

**It still hurts**

The clouds began to gather and soon the snow was falling. Slowly the home got wrapped up in the dark night. One by one the light was turned off and soon only one shined out on the dark night thought the window in the kitchen. Here stood a man with a concerned expression.

"What about the money in the bank account?"

The elderly woman poured some tea up in two mugs and sat down with one. The man took the other one and sat down next to her.

"We have already used them, Mrs. Williams. Remember the hole in the roof we had in the fall."

Mrs. Williams nodded sadly.

"But what about the kids? There is only a little over a week until it's Christmas."

The man looked down of his hands.

"I really don't know what to do."

The sat for a long time in silence, then suddenly the man jumped up.

"Maybe we are going to lose our home, but the kids should have their Christmas!"

"But…?"

"We are just having the Christmas party before the deadline."

They smiled both for the first time in hours.

---

The morning sun shined through the big window and ran playing over Raven, who was meditating.

"Raven."

Raven opened her eyes and saw Starfire, who stood in front of her.

"Yeah!!"

Starfire sat down beside Raven, and her eyes wandered out on the water.

"I can't stopped thinking about St. Johns and what happened there, when we was there."

She pushed her hair away from her face.

"I want to help them!"

"But how?"

"I don't know, but I need to do it. Ever since…"

She turned her head down and a little tear felt down on the floor. She pulled her self together.

"I can't stop thinking about him. He… If we could help St. Johns, then something good will happen this Christmas."

Raven thought about it for a while.

"I know what you mean, and I think it's a good idea. We have to ask Cyborg and BB, if they want to help…"

"Help with what?"

Both Raven and Starfire jumped five feet up in the air. They hadn't heard that Beast Boy and Cyborg had come into the room. Starfire told them about the idea to help St. Johns and they also thought it was a good idea.

"But how are we going to get so much money?"

Cyborg threw himself down in the sofa.

"We can take a job."

Beast Boy, who was about to start a videogame, dropped the game control.

"A job…but we have a job!"

Starfire smiled and was excited.

"A job, a real job… hem, what is a job?"

Raven sighed and talked without thinking.

"Where is Rob…"

They all got hit be the memory of their lost friend. Starfire hid her face in her hands. Cyborg tried to comfort her.

"It's hard in situation like this. I would give everything I have to have him back!"

Starfire pulled herself together and wiped her eyes.

"I know, but it hurts so much."

---

"What about selling cake?"

"We can clear peoples driveways for snow!"

"We can go on a treasure hunt!"

Gary and Mrs. Williams had told the residents of St. John about the letter. There were many ideas how to get the money. Some were more fantastical that others.

Gary looked out over the group of kids, as always were Jake, Sam and Elmer missing. They were probably doing one of their many tricks. Gary's foot still hurt after stepping on the mousetrap this morning, which the gang had planted in his slippers.

Still was Gary grateful for Jake. Somehow had the boy been able to connect with Sam. She was still angry and Jake knew it, but somehow was he able to understand her.

Elmer was also changed around Jake. Before should there nothing happen before he cried and needed comfort, but now he tried every time not to do it.

In Jake's case were there also many changes, when they were together. He was the natural leader and always had a plan or two up in his sleeves. Jake was also become more comfortably around his amnesia.

The voices and all the problems gave Gary a headache, so he retired to his office. He sat down in the office chair. His eyes landed on one of the pictures on the table. It was one of Jake and himself, which had been taken shortly after their first meeting. On the picture was Jake's hair orange, but now it had turned black.

Gary wished he could help the boy remembering. It troubled Gary, that he couldn't help him.

Another thing also troubled him was his friendship with Jake. It had begun to weaken, but he couldn't blame the boy for it. Gary was the superintendent – the enemy.

A knock on the door broke Gary's line of thoughts. He looked up and saw Mrs. Williams coming into his office. Behind her came a girl with red hair and green eyes. First he couldn't remember where he had seen her before, but then he remembered. She was one of the girls, who had brought Elmer back. She was Starfire.

"Excuse me, Gary, but I think you want to hear what Starfire has to say."

"Okay, what do you have to say?"

Gary looked over at Starfire, who for a moment looked nervous, but she came over it.

"We want to help you getting the money so you can save St. Johns."

"Thanks, that will be a great help, but why do you want to help us?"

Starfire looked away, and Gary would have sworn that he saw a tear in her eye.

"Okay, a helping hand is always welcome."


	8. Jake's Idea

**Jake's Idea**

He was sitting by the fire in the living room waiting for the three kids to come home. Now only the crackles from the fire broke the silence. The room, that less an hour ago had been full of kids, now lay down in silence.

They had all gone out.

Some were going around to the neighbours asking for small jobs. Others were helping Mrs. Williams in her shopping for her baking. Others were trying their own ideas about how to get the money.

Even the Teen Titans wanted to help them. He didn't know much about them other that they lived on a small island in the bay, but a helping hand was a helping hand.

The opening of the front door broke his line of thoughts. The three kids had come home. For a moment he just sat there and listened to them. Jake as always told a joke. Sam laughed and Elmer grunted at it.

Gary didn't want to spoil the moment, but he had to talk with them. They had to know. He coughed slightly and thereby got their attention. He told them about the letter. Elmer looked unaffected by it, but both Sam and Jake's eyes went dark. Sam began to give suggestions to what they could do, but Jake went completely silent.

Gary was laughing of one of Sam's suggestion, when they heard a car coming up the driveway. It had to be Mrs. Williams coming back from the stores. Elmer quickly ran out to her and the others followed him, but in the doorway Jake stopped Gary. The boy said something for they first time since the news.

"I have an idea."

Gary was stunned by the boy's seriousness, so it took a moment before he answered.

"Okay, what is it?"

---

They were sitting in the kitchen discussing Jake's idea. Mrs. Williams had made some tea, so they each had a mug in their hands. She and Gary sat, as they always did in the evening, by the table, but Jake was sitting in the window. Gary knew it normally would have made Mrs. Williams angry, but this time she turned a blind eye to it.

"It's a good idea, but do we have the time to but it into action?"

Jake looked out on the snow-covered garden as he answered.

"Yeah, if we chose an easy one. Besides the spectators would just think that the mistakes are cute, since it's kids who are the actors."

They had to agree with him.

Gary stood up and put his mug in the sink.

"Okay, then we are going to made a play which nobody have ever seen before, but I think we should go to bed now. It's already one o'clock."

They were all stunned by how late it was. The time had just flown away. Gary went up to bed, while Jake helped Mrs. Williams washing up the mugs.

"Thanks for the help, Jake, but I think I can handle it now."

The boy just nodded and didn't move. She could see there was something wrong. She dropped the washing-up brush and turned to the boy.

"Jake, was is wrong?"

First the boy began to turn away from her, but then he threw himself into her arms. He didn't cried even though it maybe would have been better.

They stood there for a long time until Jake pulled away from her. He turned around like nothing had happened and began to walk away.

"Jake, do you want to talk?"

The boy stopped and just stood there for a long time, then he nodded. Mrs. Williams made another pot of tea and they sat down.

---

It was Slade.

Teen Titans went into attack mode and went after him, but was stopped by a swarm of his robots. In the mean time Slade opened the container with the chip and took it. Then he focused his attention on the titans, who still was fighting his robots. One by one was the robots destroyed. There was still time for Slade to escape, but he just stood there. There was something wrong.

"Where is Robin?"

He duck down as a starbolt flew in his direction.

"As you don't know!"

Then it had to be true then.

"So he is really dead?"

Another starbolt flew after him. This one almost hit him. Slade saw it and knew it was time to go, but still something kept him there.

"Is he REALLY dead?"

He asked again.

A tear felt down of Starfire's cheek as she answered.

"yes"

Followed by a starbolt. The answer had stunned Slade, so it hit its target. Slade felt back due to the force of the starbolt, but quickly he jumped up again. If he didn't escaped now, then the titans would catch him, so he ran away. He had got all what he needed.

Back on the scene the titans destroyed the last of the robots and went after Slade, but the trail was cold.


	9. Jobs

**Jobs **

"Hey dude, is someone here?"

Cyborg starred out on the, what seemed empty, garage, then a man rolled out from under one of the cars on chocks.

"It IS you. Long time no seeing. Welcome to my humble home, Cy."

"Murdock, always so dramatic."

They greeted each other with a hive five.

"Okay, what do you want?"

"Why do you always think I want something?"

"Because you always do!"

Murdock went over to a sink in the corner of the garage and began to wash his hands.

"So what do you want?"

"A job…"

"What!?!?!"

The soap flew out off Murdock's hands and landed on the floor. He shook his head in disbelief and picked the soap up from the floor.

"Have you begun to gamble or something?"

Cyborg shook his head

"No man, need the cash for some kids."

Murdock starred him right into his eyes.

"Have you knock a girl fat?"

Cyborg had to smiled. Murdock always thought the worst, but Cyborg couldn't blame him for it. It was not easy being the only white mechanic in this neighborhood. Maybe was it the fact that he was a mechanic that kept him alive.

"No, No, it some kids at a home."

He told Murdock about St. Johns' problem.

"Okay, I will give you a job, so you can help those kids. One thing is sure; you and the other titans sure has the heart in the right place!"

---

Beast Boy walked up to the mansion and knocked on the big front door. Soon after it got open by a man in a tuxedo.

"Oh, you must be the baby sitter. Come in."

He opened the door so Beast Boy could come in.

"Benny, isn't it?"

Beast Boy protested, but the man didn't hear him. Instead he called up the stair for his wife, who soon after came down dressed in a big ball dress. They were already out of the door, when the woman turned to Beast Boy again.

"Our poor angel is seeing TV in her room."

She gave Beast Boy a piece of paper.

"Here are your instructions."

They disappeared into a car and droved away.

Back in the door stood Beast Boy and wasn't sure about what just had happened. He looked down on the paper with a deep sigh. It was a long list. He began to read it, but stopped and crumpled it up. What could it tell him, that tell him knew already. He closed the door.

---

Starfire walked down the street in the middle of the city. How she was going to get a job she didn't know, but she had clear her thoughts. It was the first time since the accident, that she came into the city for shopping, but still she hadn't bought anything. Each time she turned her head something reminded her of Robin.

Without notice it had she walked a long way and was now in the edge of the shopping area. She was about to turn around, when she saw a sign. It said: "Help wanted!" That was just what she needed, so she opened the door and went in.

Inside was it very dark. Only some small candles on the tables and some small lamps on the walls lighted up the room. In the center of the room was there counter, where there stood a man. He was working with some books, so he hadn't seen her. She went over to him.

"Hello, I have come to apply for the job you have."

He didn't looked up from the books.

"Any experience?"

"Yes, I have been trained by the very best in Ven-Zo and…"

"Any experience as a bartender?"

"No, what is a bartender?"

"Look baby, I don't think…"

He looked up from the books and saw her for the first time.

"…you…you are the right one for this job."

---

Raven checked the paper slip again. It was the right place. She sighted deeply. That was what happened, when you ask Beast Boy for help. She creased the slip and went into the department store.

She walked over to the information counter.

"Excuse me, I should talk to a Miss O'Reilly about a job. Can you please tell me where I could find her?"

The woman checked her computer.

"Then you must be Raven."

Raven nodded

"You can wait over there until Miss O'Reilly comes for you."

She pointed at a group of chairs next to the escalator. Raven sighted.

"Okay, thanks."

She went over to the chairs and sat down.

After waiting in over an hour came a young woman over to her.

"Hello, you must be Raven. I'm Miss O'Reilly."

They greeted.

"Come with me, then I will show you, where you are going to work."

They began to walk thought the busy store.

"Normally we hire all the Christmas help a long time before December, but this time has the sale rate exceeded our expectation. And that's your luck."

They turned at a corner.

"Oh, here we are. Mary can show you what you need to know. Mary!?"

They had stopped by a Christmas landscape and in the middle of it sat Santa Claus. Around him stood some girls dressed in elf suits. One of the girls came over to them.

"Yes, Miss O'Reilly."

Raven sighted deeply in despair.


	10. Are we friends?

**Are we friends?**

Beast Boy came into living room in the Titans Tower and threw himself on the sofa. Cyborg, who saw TV, moved a little to make room for his friend.

"Hard day?"

Beast Boy closed his eyes and sighted.

"You can't even imagine it. I have tried to baby-sit before, but that kid…"

He sat up and looked Cyborg right into the eyes.

"Did you know, that her parents calls her "Angel"?"

Cyborg smiled.

"Now you know how it is to baby-sit you."

"That WASN'T funny!!"

"Sorry."

Beast Boy felt back on the sofa again.

"That's okay, how was your day?"

Cyborg smiled sincerely.

"My friend, Murdock, has agreed to give me a job. He also want to give some money as a donation to the home."

"Nice, have you heard anything about how Starfire is doing."

"Yeah, she left an hour ago. It was something about…"

He was interrupted by a cry from the front door.

"BEAST BOY!!!!"

It was Raven.

The door to the living room blew up shortly after and revealed her. She wasn't dressed in her normal outfit, but in a half torn elf-dress with all kin of weird stains on it.

Things began to fly around her.

She wanted to say something, but couldn't, so she just went over to Beast Boy and slap his face. As he saw a little tear in her eye all his own problems disappeared. She ran out of the room and he went after her.

"Raven stop!"

He reached her on the top of the staircase.

"I'm sorry!"

She stopped and turned around to face him.

"Why? Why did you do it?"

He moved a step closer to her and tried to take her hand. She moved back, but had forgot were she was. Beast Boy tried to reach out after her, but couldn't reach her. She felt down the stairs.

Beast Boy heart stopped as he saw the girl fall down the stairs. It was just seconds, but it felt like hours. With a loud bump landed she on the floor and didn't move.

He ran down to her and with shaking hands he pushed the hair away from her face. She moved.

"Raven…"

She opened her eyes. He could see the pain in them.

"My back…is hurts!"

"Shall I get Cyborg?"

She shook her head lightly.

"Just take me to my room…"

She looked away.

"…I can't use my powers."

He lifted her up careful after making sure nothing serious was wrong with her back, and carried her to her room. He laid her down on the bed.

"I will get Cyborg now, so he can take care of you."

He turned around, but stopped.

"Raven, I'm so sorry."

He opened the door and was about to go, when he heard it.

"Don't leave!"

He turned towards her and saw her pleading eyes.

"What about…"

"I can heal myself. Please don't leave!"

She reached a hand out after him. He could see how much pain it cost her, so he quickly went over to her.

"I so sorry. It was a bad joke. I should never…"

The tears in her eyes stopped him. He sat down on the bed and comforted her. Around them things began to fly around and exposed, but they didn't notice it.

---

Mrs. Williams was washing the floor in the hall, when she heard the front door being opened. She looked up and saw it was Jake.

"Hi, shouldn't you be working on the play?"

He nodded and began to walk over to the stairs.

"Jake, is something wrong?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

"Just one of my headaches."

He walked up the stairs and disappeared.

Back in the hall stood Mrs. Williams. She began to work again, but over and over her thoughts landed on what had happened last night. Jake had told about his dream and his fears of never remembering.

He was always there for the others, but he didn't allow himself to feel, which wasn't good in the long time. She knew form herself that the feelings just didn't disappear, but gather up as a big lump in the heart. In the end would the lump just expose and all the feeling would come out.

That had almost happened last night for Jake, but still he had held it back. She knew it would have been better if he just had let go. In that way reminded Jake her so much about Ethan. He had been about the same age as Jake, when the accident happened…

---

"Hey, isn't that I new girl?"

The owner nodded.

"She came in today and asked for the job. I just had to give her the job."

The other man smiled.

"I understand why, but isn't she very young?"

The owner shrugged his shoulders.

"She is an alien, so it not like the she moves by the same rules as us. Besides look how good it is for the sale."

He looked proudly out on the full bar.

"It hadn't been so full for weeks."

"No, not since you fire Bet…"

A gesture from the owner made him silence.

"Don't ever say her name again or…"

He was interrupted some problems over by the bar disk. A man had had a little too much to drink and wanted to have some fun with Starfire. The owner's friend was about walked over to help her, but the owner stopped him.

"Wait, I want to see how she deal with this."

Back up by the disk tried Starfire to talk some sense into the man, but it didn't work. He jumped over the disk and tried to touch her, but a star bolt stopped him.

The owner dropped back in his seat with a smile.

"What a girl!"


	11. Missing

**Missing **

The gulls flew playing around in the sea fog, and one by one the dived down to the dark ocean to catch a fish. The ocean was also the one, who could take things away without a trace. It could destroy so much, but without it life on Earth would be lost.

She had been sitting there in the window since the first light had waked her up. Now the sun shined thought her window and reveal the ruined room. It wasn't the first time it had happened, but this one had been the worst. It had all just been too much for her, so the job had just been the last straw.

If it hadn't been for Beast Boy, then… She was afraid of thinking what could have happened, but on the other hand it had been him, who had got her the job. No, she couldn't blame him for it. It hat been her own choice. In addition he had been there for her. She had been so afraid, that her powers would hurt him that she had sent him away. He had left her, but it was reluctantly. He had felt it was his fault. She had now gained control over herself again, and only the big bruise on her back indicated, that something had happened.

A big bird of prey forced one the gulls down in an attempt to get the gull's catch. The gull tried to escape, but in the end the big bird forced it down so low, that the waves caught the gull and it disappeared. Dead was a natural thing.

Her stomach began rumbled and broke the line of thoughts. She therefore went down to the kitchen. She saw him at once. He was sitting by the table and ate some of his tofu waffles. She wanted just to run away, but they needed to talk about it.

"Hey."

He turned around and saw her.

"Hey, I was about to wonder about when you were going to show up. Was it hard to match black with black?"

She sighted. Maybe it just had been…then she saw his eyes. They were dark.

"BB, we have to talk."

He looked down.

"Sorry, I shouldn't have done it, but…"

"Thanks!"

He looked up.

"But…"

"You were there when really I needed you."

She could see a change in him as the words sank in.

"Do you want a tofu waffle?"

First she was about to turn him down, but then she began to think. What could it harm to try something new?

"Okay."

He gave her one and she tasted it. It wasn't her cup of tea, but she ate it.

"Do you want another one?"

"Don't push it!"

The door flung open and Cyborg ran into the kitchen.

"BB, RAVEN! THERE IS A LET…"

He stopped as he saw them.

"…Oh, Raven, you are eaten tofu!?!"

She put the waffle down.

"What were you shouting about?"

Cyborg shook his head and gave her an envelope. It was a letter to Robin.

"But…"

"Look at the sender!"

"Slade!"

Cyborg nodded.

"What should we do?"

Beast Boy, who had begun to eat another waffle, pulled the letter out of her hands.

"Let us open it!"

Quickly she took it back.

"I do it."

She opened it and began to read. As she read the letter it all began to spin around her. It could not be true. The papers felt out of her hands and down on the floor.

"Raven, what is it?"

"It has to be a trick! It has to be."

Cyborg pick one of the papers up and began to read it out loud.

"Dear Robin, did you really think you could fool me that easy. It was just a matter of matching your DNA with…"

He stopped

Beast Boy was irritated. He wanted to know what the letter said.

"What???"

Raven pulled herself together.

"It says, that the body wasn't Robin, but a guy called Edward Steinbeck."

"But that mean…"

"Yeah, that means Robin still can be alive."

She gathered the rest of the papers from the floor.

"Or it could just be a trick!"

"Either way, we have to check it out. Robin could be out there somewhere…alive."

The silence lay around them as a blanket of questions. Beast Boy was the one, who broke it.

"But if it was him, the Steinbeck guy, who got killed in the explosion. Where is Robin then?"

Raven walked over to the window.

"I don't know. Some place out there."

"But why haven't he contacted us then?"

"I don't know, but that's what we going to find out."

She walked over to the computer and began the searching, but stopped and turned to the two other titans.

"We shouldn't tell Starfire about this before we are sure about what happened. I don't think she can bear to lose him again."

The other two others agreed.

---

"Have you seen Elmer?"

Jake looked up from his paintjob.

"Nice seeing you too, Gary. And no, I haven't seen him since he left for his doctor appointment. Why?"

"He didn't show up for the appointment. We have look everywhere for him."

Jake dropped the paintbrush and stood up.

"I go and get Sam."

Gary stopped him.

"No, don't do it. It's probably nothing. You know how Elmer is. It's better, that you just concentrate about the play."

"Gary, I know Elmer. He would never do anything without telling me first. You are just as nervous as I am. Please, let me get Sam so we can find him."

Gary looked down in the boy's seriously eyes and recognized the resolution in them.

"Okay!"


	12. On the Ice

**On the Ice**

The computer worked for a second and then a list came up on the screen. It was so much longer, that she had expected. How could so many people be lost like that? She scanned thought the list and could eliminate ten off them just by reading through their description, but still there were five left. They could all be Robin. Around same age, black hair, blue eyes…

"How is it going?"

She turned around and saw Cyborg, who just had come home from his job at Murdock's.

"I'm down to a list with five persons. I was just about to download their pictures."

She started the process and the computer began to work.

"Do you really think, that Robin still is alive?"

"Why not? It is Robin we are talking about!"

"I matched a DNA-sample from the body with DNA from Robin. They didn't match, but…"

"See, he is probably somewhere out there waiting for us to find him!"

"Maybe…but the fall from the bridge and shoot…he could still have died."

The computer finish and the first picture popped up on the screen. It didn't looked like Robin at all. The other one turned out to be a girl. The rest off the pictures popped up one by one, but none of them turned out to be their lost friend.

The telephone began to ring. It rang several times before Raven stood up and answered it. It was Gary.

---

"Jake, we have been all over the city without finding him. Maybe he has already come home. Let us go home!"

"No, just a little more."

He began to walk down of the street, but Sam stopped him by taken his hand.

"Jake, it isn't your fault! You couldn't know it would happened."

He turned around and was about to protest, but then their eyes meet. He relaxed a little.

"You have right. We just take this street and then we go home."

Sam nodded and let go of his hand.

Their search had taken them to one of the wealthy part of the city. On each side of the street were there big apartment houses, which rose to the sky and stopped the last sunbeams from reaching the street.

They had come to the end of the street and was about to turn around, when they heard a familiar voice. It was Elmer. They followed it and found him in front of one of the last apartment houses on the street. He was arguing with a man in a blue suit. Sam immediately ran over and hugged Elmer. The man looked relieved to see them.

"Do you know that boy?"

Jake nodded.

"You should put him in a madhouse. Look what he had done!"

The man held his sleeve so Jake could see it. It was a hole in it.

"I'm so sorry, but…"

"Don't you know who I am?"

Both Jake and Sam had to shake their heads.

"I'm Ben Draco, vice director of "Travis and Hinton".

Jake recognized the name from what Gary had told them. The anger grew in him.

"You are the one who are taking a home away from us!"

First Ben didn't understand it, but then he remembered.

"So, you are kids from St. Johns?"

They nodded.

"The faster that terrible place can get demolish…"

Elmer, who Sam had held on to, slipped out off her hold and jumped at Ben.

"YOU ARE NOT TAKING MY HOME!!!!"

Ben tried to defend himself against Elmer, but the boy was able to hit him several times.

"GET HIM OFF ME!!!"

Jake stepped in and stopped Elmer. Unfortunately Ben hadn't seen it, so he still fought back. One of his blows hit Sam, who also was trying to stop Elmer, and sent her to the ground. She hit her head on the kerb and passed out.

They all stood paralysed for a moment, then Jake jumped over to her and checked her. She had hit her head very badly and there were blood in her hair. Ben saw it and became nervous.

"She is alright. Isn't she?"

"She needs an ambulance!"

Ben shook his head and began to search through his pockets for something.

"I drive her!"

Jake was about to protest, but Ben run off in the direction of a red sports car. He started it and shortly after he drove it up next to them.

"Come, put her in!"

It was against Jake's common sense, but then Sam woke up. First she didn't even want to go to the hospital, but then she agreed to go if Ben would drive her. Somehow were they all able to fit into the little car. Ben speeded up and they flew through the city.

They came to the highway, which just were next to the coastline. Ben pressed down the accelerator and the car increased the speed. They passed the other cars, which looked like they just stood still.

"Hold in there. Just five more min…"

Something suddenly ran over the highway. Ben tried to brake, but the car skidded out. The car came to the edge of the road. For a moment it looked like the crash fence was going to hold the car, but then it gave in and broke. The car fell out over the edge and rolled down the little cliff, which was between the highway and the ocean. It came to the end off the cliff and rolled out on the ice. Some distance out on the ice the car stopped rolling and lay still, but upside down.

Ben jumped out off the car and ran into the shore.

"Are you alright?"

Sam nodded, but Elmer, who was sitting on the backseat with Jake, was unconscious. There was a big gash in his head. Sam began to cry and move over to him, but a big crack stopped her.

"What was that?"

Jake looked out off the broken window and saw the ice, which had begun to crack.

"Sam, get out off here!!"

"Okay."

She stepped out off the car, but didn't move.

"RUN!! What are you waiting for?"

"You and Elmer, give him to me and…"

Jake realized she hadn't seen it and cut her off.

"Sam, I can't. We are stuck."

It took Sam a moment before she realized what it meant. She began to cry again and felt down on her knees.

"NO!!!"

"Sam, listen to me. Run into to the shore and call the police."

For a second she just sat there and looked at them, but then she came over and took Jake and Elmer's hands.

"Hold out! I will get help."

She let go off their hands and was just about to run away, but stopped. She leaned towards Jake and kissed him passionate. A big crack ended the kiss and she ran to the shore. Just as she reached the shore a chain reaction began and the ice broke into thousands of pieces. The car began to sink and after just a few seconds it was gone.

* * *

_  
(The story dosen't end here, but I'm just taking a little break writing this story to write on my other story, "A Way of Life". Hope you like this story so far and please review. It's always fun to hear what others think of your story! I will be back soon - JoBO)_


	13. Touch by an Angel

(Okay, I was working on my other story, when this chapter just kept popping up in my mind. It practically worte itself. And of course here in this story are Robin Dick Grayson - JoBO)

* * *

****

Touch by an Angel 

Ben ran up on the highway and tried to get someone to stop. The first couple of car just speeded up and drove pass him as they thought he just was a crazy person. He looked down on what there used to be his car and saw Sam running away from it. He got more determined and almost walked out on the middle of the road and began to swing around with his arms. A car passed him close by in high speed, but then it stopped and reversed. As the car came next to him Ben recognized the driver.

She felt down on her knees and hit them on a stone, but she didn't care. The tears ran down her cheeks and formed a puddle in the sand. She felt a hand on shoulder and looked up through the tears. It was Gary. She jumped into his arms. He welcomed her and tried to comfort her. Behind him the Teen Titans came running down of the cliff. Ben had explained them what had happened, and they knew it was just a matter of seconds before all hope would be lost.

Beast Boy ran down to the water's edge and transformed himself into a big octopus. He quickly went into the water and dived down for the car. Shortly after he came up with the car in one of his arms and sat it down on the road, but it was empty.

---

He opened his eyes, but had to close them again due to the very strong light, which dried his clothes and warmth his body in a second. He felt the light being reduced and opened his eyes again. In front of him stood a woman. He had never seen one more breathtaking that her. She was the source of the light.

"Welcome back Jake, or maybe should I say Dick or Robin."

Jake, Dick, Robin… that was right. He remembered it all now.

"Who are you?"

She smiled.

"Can't you recognize me?"

He shook his head.

"No, who are you? And what have you done to Elmer?"

"I'm right here."

As she answered her voice turned from being like music into Elmer's. She began to transformed and soon stood Elmer in front of him. Robin didn't believe his eyes and went into attack mode.

"Are you working for Mad Mod?"

A fear came up on Elmer's face and it turned back to the woman.

"Please, don't hurt me. We have meet before."

Robin saw the fear in her eyes and almost believed her. He calmed down a little.

"I have never seen you before!"

The woman came over to him and took his hand.

"Please remember!"

A stream of memories flashed before Robin's eyes. The first time he had tried the trapeze; His parents' dearth; The fist time he had put the Robin suit on; The argument with Bruce, that had forced him to leave; And so many other, but in each one of them the woman appeared. Each time she stood behind him and gave him support.

"Who are you?"

She let go of his hand and stepped back.

"I have many names, but the most preciousness of them is the one you once gave me."

It surprised Robin.

"But I have never…"

She silenced him by putting a finger over her mouth.

"Don't speak. Close you eyes and listen to you heart."

First he wanted to protest, but then he looked into her eyes. He got a strange felling of safety, and did what she asked him to do. He closed his eyes. A memory came back to him. He had just been a toddler, when it had happened. He had been out exploring the surroundings of the circus, when he had felt down in to the close by river. He had tried to swim into safety, but the forced of the water had been too much. Just as he was about to give up a woman had appeared. She had saved him.

"Airmid! Like the goddess in the story mom just had told me."

She smiled.

"It's name I always will bear with honour. I have travelled through various worlds, but never had anyone giving me a better name."

Suddenly Robin began to think about something.

"Oh, were are we?"

"Nowhere and everywhere. A place outside the time, where you are safe for the moment."

He remembered what had happened in the car.

"Am I dead?"

---

"Where is he?"

Sam pulled away from Gary and ran over to the car.

"Where are they?"

Gary walked over to her and tried to take her hand.

"Samantha, are you sure they were in the car?"

She pulled away from him once more.

"You don't believe me! Then I will help them myself!"

She began to run down to the water's edge, but Beast Boy, who had turned into his normal form again, walked in and stopped her.

"We believe you!"

---

"Am I dead?"

"No, not jet."

"Not jet?"

She turned away from him.

"My powers…I'm not able to make you immortal, so you will die."

"Die?"

She looked him straight into his eyes.

"Yes. The same Death that you always have feared."

He stepped back.

"Feared… I have never… I have always… I have never feared my death."

"No, not yours, but the one of people close to your heart."

"I haven't…"

"Your parents' dead left your heart closed. You stopped letting people in because you were afraid they would die. That they would leave you just like you parents did."

He felt down on his knees and hide his face in his hands.

"No, that isn't true. I…"

"Open your eyes and I will show you."

He opened his eyes and discovered he was sitting next to a little lake.

"How did you…?"

"Magic! Look down in the water."

He did as she told him and looked down in the water. First he just saw his own reflection, but the water began to stir and a picture of a red-haired girl was formed.

"Barbara!"

The water stirred again and formed another picture of another red-haired girl, but this time the eyes were green instead of blue.

"Starfire!"

He looked up at Airmid, who was standing next to him.

"What does this mean? I'm…"

"Don't speak. This one is maybe the most impotent one of them all."

She pointed down at the water and he looked down once more. It had formed another picture, but this time it was of a man. It was Bruce Wayne!

Robin destroyed the picture with his hand and stood up.

"I thought you wanted to help me!"

"I do!"

"Then put me back!"

She tilted her head on to the side and looked at him with concern.

"Is that what you really want?"

---

"I believe you, but sometime the water…"

"No, he is still alive. I can feel it. Please help him!"

She looked at Beast Boy with pleading eyes. He saw them and nodded.

"I tried again, but you stay on land. The water is far too cold."

Sam just nodded. Beast Boy let go off her and turned into a shark as he jumped into the water. A girl in a black cape came over to her with a blanket.

"Wasn't it two boys?"

"What?"

"You keep saying he, but wasn't two boys, who was in the car."

Sam blushed.

"Yeah, it was…it's just…"

Another girl came over to them and saved her.

"Hello, my name is Starfire."

---

"Is that what you really want? Or do you want to know why you are here?"

It caught Robin's attention.

"Why I'm here? What do you mean?"

"I thought you wanted to go back."

"Yeah, I do, but…"

She smiled and pointed one more time at the water.

"Look down on the water again."

He did and saw himself. He was just about to say something, when he saw a girl next to him. It was Sam. The scene changed, and they were now in the car. Sam kissed him and he kissed her back.

"You are in love with her?"

Robin wanted to look away, but in the same time he also wanted to see it.

"No… I…Jake was."

"But aren't you him?"

Robin thought about it, but didn't answer.

"What is the difference between him and you?"

He realized the truth.

"He couldn't remember."

She just smiled.

"It was you! I saw you on the bridge! You fired the shoot!"

She looked away.

"It was me… sometime you need to thing you don't like."

"Why? Was it so important for me to learn this?"

He pointed down on the water and she nodded.

"Why?"

She raised her head and he saw the tear on her cheek.

"Some day you actions will determine who is going to win."

"Determine who is going to win?"

"In the future you are going to…"

She was cut off by flames, which forced the apart.

"No, not now!"

"Airmid!"

"Remember my words! I will always be there for you!"

The flames grew larger and soon she was gone.

---

Beast Boy swam into land with the body in his mouth. He couldn't believe how lucky the boy had been. He was still alive even though he had been under water for a long time. At the shore waited Cyborg, who took the boy from Beast Boy and laid him down on the road. Then he took a rag and wiped the boys face clean of mud. He froze as he recognized him.

It was Robin.


	14. The Mark of the Phoenix

(I have changed the title of this story,because it's now the first one about Phoenix -JoBO)

* * *

The Mark of the Phoenix

First he couldn't remember anything, but then it all came back to him. The flames! They had come out of nowhere. They had surrounded him. His heart began to beat faster. He quickly opened his eyes and he saw her at once.

"Starfire!"

She smiled in relief and squeezed his hand.

"Where am I?"

"In the hospital."

Her eyes were darkof concern.

"Can't you remember?"

He pulled away from her.

"Where are the others?"

"They are still search for Elmer…"

He saw the tears coming up in her eyes.

"…or rather his body. Cyborg says there are no way…we also thought that about you, but…"

She stopped and burst into tears. He took her hand again.

"Starfire, Air… oh, Elmer was something special. She…"

He wanted to tell her all about Airmid, but something stopped him.

"…It is all going to be alright."

She snuffled and looked at him.

"He!"

"What?"

"You said she about Elmer."

"Oh…"

The door opened and saved Robin. It was the doctor.

---

He put the mask on and looked at himself in the mirror for a second, but then he tore the mask off. Could he really go back? So much had happen since Beast Boy had put dye into his shampoo. He could almost still see the mark even though he had the suit on. It was there. Just above his heart like a tattoo, but he knew it was much more.

He took the suit off and put it back in the bag. He knew Starfire just had wanted to be friendly when she had given it to him, but it was just too early. Maybe should the robin not fly anymore!

He got dressed in normal clothes and packed the last things down in the bag. It was finally time for him to leave the hospital. There hadn't been anything seriously wrong with him, but the doctor had wanted him to stay for the night. It knocked on the door and Starfire came in. He could see she was disappointed over his choice of clothes.

"Are you ready?"

He nodded and together they went out to the others in the waiting room. Cyborg was in the middle of fixing the coffee machine, which meant parts all over. Raven were trying to stop Beast Boy, who had turned into a mouse so he could get the chocolate bars out off the machine for free. Cyborg was the first, who spotted them.

"Hey Robin."

He froze. Robin could see he also found his choice of clothes strange. Starfire walked up to Robin and put an arm around his arm.

"Should we travel home now?"

Robin let go of Starfire and turned towards the door.

"Sorry guys, but there are something I need to do before I can leave."

He took the bag and walked out of the waiting room. Behind him the other titans were confused, but they followed their leader.

Robin went over to the counter, where a nurse was working on a computer.

"Excuse me, could you please tell me in which room I can find a girl named Sam?"

He had only seen Sam and Gary once since the day of the accident. They had come by his room late last night, but had left quickly. Sam had also been admitted to the hospital because of her head injury.

The nurse typed the information into the computer.

"Do you have the surname?"

Before he could answer he was interrupted by a cry from the other end of the hallway.

"JAKE!"

He looked up and saw Sam. The bag dropped to the floor. She ran over to him and jumped into his arms. For a moment they just stood there, but then Robin took a look at Sam.

"Are you all right?"

She smiled.

"Me all right? I wasn't the one who was trapped inside the car."

He smiled.

"No, but you really hit you head hard and then the accident…"

"Oh, that was nothing compare to how Gary was after the little fight we had."

They laughed.

"I will never think of pies in the same way again."

"Neither will I."

She looked down on her wristwatch.

"Shit, I have to run. I have a check-up in less that five minuets."

They said goodbye.

---

Someone knocked on his door and woke him up. He stood out of the bed and opened the door. It was Starfire. Without saying anything she throw herself into his arms. The tears flowed down her cheeks and he could feel her heart beat very fast. He put his arms around her and comforted her. After a long time he felt her heart rate drop down to its normal and the tears almost stopped. He wiped her eyes and made her sit down on his bed.

"What happen?"

She snuffled.

"I…I had a dream. You were really dead and…"

She burst into tears again. He comforted her.

"It was just a dream. I'm right here like I always will."

She wiped her eyes.

"But you are leaving!"

He was stunned.

"What? What have given you that idea?"

She pointed over to the suit, which were hanging over a chair.

"You have not touched the suit…"

She looked him straight into his eyes.

"…You have changed. You are not Robin anymore."

He shook his head in despair.

"Starfire, I…you have right, when you say I'm changed, but I'm still Robin… It's just that so much have happen, which have…"

He sighed.

"…I don't know how to explain it, but trust me; I'm NOT going to leave you."

It looked like she accepted it and relaxed.


	15. mahtoG

**mahtoG **

The sun rose in the horizon and announced a new day's coming. Raven was sitting by the window, but she wasn't looking out at the sun. She was trying to meditate, but she was each time disturbed by Cyborg and Beast Boy, who was eating breakfast.

"Pass me the soy milk."

Cyborg looked up from his bowl of cereal.

"Get it yourself."

"Man, pass me the soy milk! It's just next to you!"

"I'm NOT touching THAT."

Beast Boy transformed one of his hands into a tentacle and reached out after the milk, but in the same moment did Cyborg the same. The result was that the milk bottle felt down on the floor and broke into thousand of pieces. There was milk everywhere.

"Look, what you have done! It was the last one!"

Raven sighted and went down to the two boys.

"Boys, this is definitely NOT the day for this."

Beast Boy and Cyborg, who were fighting over the spilt milk, froze.

"She have right, Cy. We should celebrate instead. Robin is home!"

Beast Boy transformed into a snake and coiled out of Cyborg's grasp. He transformed back to his normal form and began to dance around. Cyborg didn't move, but a worry look came over his face.

"Guys, I don't if you have notice it, but hasn't he changed a lot?"

Beast Boy stopped in the middle of a movement and turned towards Cyborg. The fear was writing all over his face.

"But he is back…"

The door flung open and Starfire flew into the room.

"Is Robin in here?"

---

The music welcomed him back as he came closer and showed him the way into the ring. On the way long forgotten memories came back to him. Memories there came from a long forgotten epoch. A time where he just had been an innocent child.

The music stopped as he reached the tent and a group of artist came out of it He hid behind one of the caravans until they were gone and then he went into the tent. It was just as he remembered, but in the same time it was much smaller that he remember. He had just been a kid, when it had happened…

"What are you doing here?"

He turned around and recognized the man, but couldn't show it as he had the suit on. The man recognized him.

"Oh, it you! Is something wrong? Is Batman here also?"

There stood the man, who had been like a grandfather for him before the accident, and he couldn't do anything.

"No, I was just checking to see if everything was all right."

"Well, I haven't seen anything unusual, but you are welcomed to stay as long as you find it necessary. You have to excuse me, but I have a lot to do before the show tonight."

The boy just nodded a goodbye to the man, who left the tent.

The boy went into the middle of the ring. It was here he his innocent had ended. It was here Robin had been born.

---

"I can't find him."

Cyborg joined the other titans in the living room with the same sad news as the other had come back with. Robin was nowhere to be found in the Titans Tower. It was on all their faces, but no one said it out loud. Maybe it had just been a dream. Maybe Robin hadn't come back. Maybe he was really dead.

Raven stood up and walked over to the computer.

"He is not in the tower, but maybe he has taken his locator with him."

She typed something on the keyboard and a map over Jump City came up on the screen. Only three spots were flashing on it.

"Maybe he is offline?"

She didn't answer the question, but typed something new on the keyboard. A map over the world came up on the screen. Quickly it changed into a map over North America, then one over United States and so on. In the end the screen came up with a map over a city. There were a flashing spot on it. The spot was mark with an R.

"He is in Gotham!"

---

He walked down the pathway between the gravestones. It was years since he last had been there, but still he was able to walk the way without any errors. The way was scratched into his memory from the very first time. He had only been nine years old - just a boy, but the circumstances had forced him to grow up.

As he reached the gravestone it began to rain. He read the text on it:

"The Flying Graysons,  
John Frederick Grayson and Mary Elizabeth Grayson,  
May they rest in peace."

He knelt down in front of the gravestone and let the fingers ran over the engraved letters.

"Mom! Dad! I sorry, that it is so long time since I last visited you. So much have happen, that I…"

He didn't know how to put words on what he was feeling, but somehow he knew it didn't matter. They knew his feeling and nothing else mattered. He sat there for a long time. The rain soaked his clothes, but he didn't care. He didn't even notice it. The raindrops landed on his face and hid the tears.

He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. It was Starfire. He stood up and hugged her. The tears ran down his cheeks, but he didn't care. He was home.

* * *

(Do you still find the title of this chapter odd? It's "Gotham" spelt backwards.- JoBO) 


	16. Robin and Robyn

**Robin and Robyn**

The door to his room opened and woke him up. Cyborg stuck his head in through the half open door.

"Robin, are you awake?"

Robin stood out off the bed and began to put his suit on..

"Yeah, what's up?"

Cyborg came into the room. He was starring down on the floor.

"Oh…we…don't…maybe it to early…"

Robin, who was almost dressed, turned around and confronted his friend.

"WHAT?"

Cyborg looked up. There was a worry expression on his face.

"It's Slade! He is on the videophone."

Robin froze for a second, but then he just pulled his shoulders and walked over to the window.

"I will come in a minute."

Cyborg nodded and walked out of the room. He left the door open as he walked back to the living room. Robin could hear Slade speaking on the videophone thought the open door.

"Good afternoon, Teen Titans."

The Teen Titans were gathered in the room. Only Robin was missing. Up on the screen Slade looked around and saw it.

"Well, well, well…"

Slade shook his head.

"…still missing your precious leader!…"

He made a rhetorical pause.

"…I thought you would have found him by now…"

He stopped for a second and looked like he was thinking the things though, then he came closer to the screen.

"…or he is really dead?"

"Slade, always so dramatic. What do you want?"

Robin stood in the door. It was only him, who noticed that Slade sighed in relief.

"Well, so you are back!"

Robin walked over to the screen and stared at Slade for a second.

"Yeah, I'm back! Don't tell me you just rang us up to check that!"

He stepped away from the screen and threw himself on the sofa.

"By the way, Slade, did you like my Christmas present?"

Slade was clearly surprised.

"What?"

Lazy Robin raised his head from the sofa.

"Well, since you haven't giving us your address, then I had to find an other way."

Slade was clearly interested.

"And?"

"Well, I had a little conversation with our common friend."

"Who?"

Robin just stood up from the sofa and walked out of the room. Back on the screen Slade become more and more irritated until he ended the call.

The rest of the titans stood back in the room and didn't know what just had happen. Beast Boy was the first one, who came out of the trance.

"Err, what exactly just happened?"

Cyborg walked over to the screen like he expected Slade to come back.

"I don't know…"

"It's very simple…"

Robin had come back.

"…Slade has always been fascinated with me, so I thought: why not give him present."

Beast Boy's jaw literally dropped to the floor.

"Did you give him a present?"

Robin nodded.

"Yeah, I did."

"WHAT?"

The other titans were stunned, but Robin just smiled as he saw their faces.

"It's not like you think. There isn't an actual present, but hopefully Slade will use the whole holiday to figure it out."

Raven understood where he was going.

"So, you sent Slade out on a hunt for something there doesn't exist, so he doesn't made trouble in the meantime."

"Yeah, that was the plan."

---

The T-car drove up the driveway to the children's home, where Mrs. Williams greeted them. First there were a worried look on her face, but as she saw them coming close she forced herself to smile.

"Welcome, it's so nice to see you all again."

She greeted them by shaking their hands, but as she greeted Robin she hugged him.

"We are so thankful, that you wanted to help us fixing the last thing before the play."

They went inside, bur as Starfire passed Mrs. Williams she stopped.

"Mrs. Williams, have you hear any news about Elmer?"

A dark cloud came over Mrs. Williams face as she answered.

"No, nothing. It's like he never had existed."

Robin saw the tears in her eyes. He really wanted to tell them about Airmid, but something stopped him. It was easier this way.

Robin was the last one, who walked in. Mrs. Williams stopped him in the doorway.

"Jake…oh, Robin, Gary wants to talk with you."

She talked so low, that the other couldn't hear her. He nodded and walked over to Gary's office, where he knocked on the door. Shortly after the door was opened. Not by Gary, but by a man in a black suit. Robin stepped into the office. Gary was sitting by the desk.

"Robin, this is Agent Briscoe."

They nodded a silent hello to each other.

"Agent Briscoe is here to get Sam."

"What?"

The agent, who was around the same age as Gary, came over to Robin and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"Son, I can't tell you about the case, but it is absolute importance, that she comes with me."

Robin shook his hand away and walked over to the desk.

"Gary, what is going on?"

"She is leaving, but she doesn't take it so good. We…"

He looked over at Agent Briscoe for a second.

"…I need you to talk to her, please."

Robin sighted and agreed.

---

He gentle knocked on the door, but nothing happened. He tried again.

"Sam, it's me!"

He heard the door being unlocked and opened the door. He wasn't prepared for the sight, there met him. Sam's room had always been a mess, but this time it looked like a bomb had expose in there. There were clothes everywhere. On the floor, on the chair, on the bed, but Sam wasn't nowhere to be seen.

"Sam?"

She came out of the closet with an armful of clothes as an answer to his question. She stepped over to the bed and began to stuff the clothes down in a suitcase, which were on the bed. Robin walked over to her and stopped her by putting hand on her shoulder.

"Sam, it's okay?"

She shook his hand away as she turned around and faced him. He could see she had cried, but the anger was writing all over her face.

"How do you know? It wasn't you who saw you parents being killed in front of you!"

"Sam…"

He tried to take her hands, but she pushed him away.

"Don't Sam me, that's not my name!"

"But Sam…"

"MY NAME IS ROBYN O'HAGAN…"

It was like the truth stroke her in the same moment as she said it out loud. She stopped all resistance and the tears began to come up in her eyes. He took her into his arms and comforted her. They stood there for a long time, before she stopped shaking. Then he made her sit down on the bed and sat down next to her.

"Sam…Robyn, but how?"

She wiped her eyes.

"I'm in witnesses protection. I'm the key witness to my parents' murder."

"But I just thought… didn't you have any family."

She smiled scornful for a second.

"That wouldn't help, when it is your own family you are testify against."

"What?!"

"My father was a member of IRA. He had joined them in a very young age together with his older bother, Sean. After some years my father met my mother and they felt in love. They married and got me."

She wiped her eyes.

"My father, he wanted to stop. He wanted to get out of IRA, but they told him it was impossible, so he stayed. Then an undercover agent messed the whole thing up. They thought my father was working together with the agent, so they made him kill.

The tears flowed down her cheeks.

"He broke into our house in the middle of the night and killed them."

"Who?"

"Sean, my uncle. He killed his own brother and his wife in cold blood!"

She broke down on the bed and cried. He comforted her, but it was like the tears never would stop. After a while there got longer and longer time between the snuffles and he tried to made her smile.

"Robyn and Robin; it look like we both have a secret identity."

She didn't move, but he could see that she smiled.

"Who would have guessed this were going to happened when we stepped into that car?"

She sat up and looked him deep into his eyes.

"Jake…Robin, I don't…"

She leaned forward and kissed him.

---

"Raven, have you seen Robin?"

Raven dropped the knife in despair.

"No, Starfire, I haven't seen him since last time you asked me. Which were just five minuets ago. Why don't you search after him at another place."

"Okay."

She flew out of the kitchen and was just about to go into the living room, when she heard some voices. She followed them up the stairs and over to a half open door. She stopped. She shouldn't be there, but something forced her to do it. She looked through the half open door and her heart stopped. With tears in her eyes she turned around and ran down the stairs.

---

He pushed her away and looked down on his hands.

"Sam…oh, Robyn, I'm flatter, but…"

"But you aren't in love with me."

"Yeah…no…I mean…"

"It's Starfire, isn't it?"

He nodded.

She gentle pushed his head up with her hand.

"It's okay. I had to try. Have you told it to her?"

He didn't say anything, but she read him like an open book.

"She is in love with you, you know!"

"What? How do you know?"

It knocked on the door. Gary and Agent Briscoe came into the room.

"Sorry to disturb you, but it's time."


	17. Gone with a Smile

﻿ 

(A bunch of people knowing his secret identity...well, I can only come up with 2...hey, Clark Kent could fool everybody with a pair of glasses - JoBO)

(Starfire/Grayson, Robyn/Grayson or Raven/Grayson? I'm certainty not finished with making problems in this area. Much more about it in "Phoenix II: Flames Without Limits" where Sam comes back and... - JoBO)

* * *

Gone with a Smile

"It's time, Robyn. It's a long drive back."

"Can I stay until the play it over, please?"

Agent Briscoe walked over to her and took her hand.

"I'm sorry, but we are already late. You need to be in the court very early tomorrow."

She nodded. He cast a glance around the room.

"Do you need some help with the packing?"

He shook her head.

"No, Robin is helping me."

He smiled and stood up.

"Not every girl has a superhero to help her…"

He walked over to the door.

"…You have five minuets."

He left the room together with Gary. Sam stood up and began to pack the clothes down in the suitcase, but stopped and looked up at Robin, who still was sitting on the bed.

"Are you going to help me or what?"

He stood up and picked a piece of clothes up from the floor, but stopped in the movement.

"You are not coming back."

She shook her head. The piece of clothes dropped to the floor and Robin walked over to the window. Sam went over to him and laid a hand on his arm.

"Robin, I know it's hard. I also miss Elmer. I miss the relationship we had, but sometime life hurts."

-

Agent Briscoe put the suitcase down in the trunk and closed it.

"Do you have everything?"

She nodded.

"Okay, take some minutes to say goodbye to your friends."

He went over to the driver seat and got in to the car. She looked over at the three persons. Mrs. Williams came over and hugged her.

"Sam, I'm going to miss you…"

She had wanted to say more, but the tears stopped her. She went into the house.

Gary came over to say goodbye. He gave her a key.

"This is a key to the front door. You will always have a home here, you know!"

They hugged and he walked away, so Robin could say goodbye. They hugged. No more words were necessary. They ended the hug and she walked over to the car door, but stopped and ran back to him.

"I will never tell anyone about your secret."

He smiled.

"I know!"

She turned around walk over to the car door, but she stopped before opened it.

"It's her eyes:"

"What?"

"It's her eyes. They show how much she loves you."

She opened the door and sat in. Agent Briscoe started the car and began to drive down the driveway. She sank down in the seat and creased the letter in her hand. She had done the right thing, but why did it need to hurt so much?

-

As the rear lights disappeared down the road Robin felt a sting in his heart. He wished he could turn back the time, but he knew it wouldn't help. She had to leave. He feared for her safety, but somehow he knew they were going to meet again. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up. It was Gary.

"I know it sucks, but she had to go."

"Did you knew, that she was a witness?"

Gary shook his head.

"Not before the day…"

He turned his head away.

"One day…and we lost the whole JES trio!"

"The JES Trio?"

"Jake, Elmer and Sam. It was Mrs. Williams who came up with the name…"

He realised something.

"I told her about your secret. She took the new about Elmer and Sam so hard, that I couldn't break her heart again. I hope its okay?"

"Well, I don't know. The whole thing is just so…"

"Robin, as I told Sam. You will always have a home here."

"It's okay. I just hope you haven't told the whole city about it."

Gary smiled.

"No, I told the other kids that Jake had gone home to Gotham, where he is recovering from the accident."

Robin smiled.

"I knew there were a reason, why I liked you."

Before Gary could answer a red sports car came up the driveway and stopped next to them. The car door opened and Ben came out. He ran over to them and gave Gary a piece of paper.

"What is that?"

"A little Christmas present."

"But…"

"Just read it!"

As Gary read the paper his face began to light up.

"I wasn't able to change my boss' mind, but this should help you a little. I was able to move the deadline with a couple of week. I don't know if it is going to help, but…"

Gary was hugged him, so he couldn't finish his sentence.

-

"Raven, have you seen Starfire?"

She dropped the knife.

"Don't tell you can't find her!"

"Eh…"

She rolled her eyes.

"I haven't seen her since she came and ask me about you, which were over a half hour ago."

"Oh, have you seen Mrs. Williams then?"

She picked up the knife and pointed with it on the door out to the garden.

"She wanted to get some herbs."

"Okay, thanks."

He went out in the garden. It was very dark, but he knew the way. Down the path, then turn left at the big apple tree. He heard something, which made him stop. Someone was crying. He went after the sound and found Mrs. William. She was sitting on the little bench next to the old oak.

"Mrs. Williams?"

She looked up and wiped her eyes.

"I will be right there. I just need…"

She fumbled with her basket, but stopped when he laid a hand on her arm.

"Can you remember the night were we stayed up and talked?"

She nodded.

"That night you told me to believe…"

"…to believe in yourself and your friends."

"Listen to your own advice. You are like a mother to these kids, but you also have to let them go. Trust them to live their own life in the best way possible."

"I know, it's just…Elmer, he was so young. He had his whole life in front of him."

Somehow he knew it was the time to tell her. She needed to know before it was too late.

"Can you remember the day I came?"

She nodded.

"You told me about Elmer. You said: there are much more to him that we can see."

He took her hands

"You were so right…"

As he told her about Airmid the old woman's face began to light up and at the she was smiling.

-

The last round of applause ended and the audience went out to their cars. Soon the big hall lay down in silence.

"What about we wait with the clearing until tomorrow and go to bed now?"

They were all in for Gary's proposal.

"Okay, Peter can you wake Mrs. Williams up, while I say goodbye to our guests?"

The young boy nodded and rang over to Mrs. Williams, who where sleeping on a chair. Gary followed the titans to the front door.

"It was sad, that Starfire had to go home so early."

He opened the door.

"I don't know how to thank you, but…"

Peter screamed.

"She…she…is…dead!"

They ran over to the boy.

"Peter, what happened?"

With a shaking finger he pointed over at Mrs. William. She was still sitting on the chair like she was watching the play. First they thought she was sleeping, but then they saw her eyes.


	18. Batman and Robin

**Batman and Robin**

The blue light flashed in through the front door, where the ambulance men just had come in. They tried to help Mr. Williams, but the all knew it was too late. She was gone. They lifted her up from the floor and put her on the stretcher. They placed a blanket over her head and rolled her out to the ambulance. One of the ambulance men came over to them.

"I'm sorry, but there was nothing we could do. Her heart just stopped."

He walked away.

Robin putted a hand on Gary's arm.

"Gary, she was…she was…do…do you want us to help you with the kids?"

Gary's eyes were fixated on the front door.

"It was too early…"

It was like he woke up from a trance.

"…no…"

He looked up the staircase and saw the group of scared kids on the top of it.

"…if you want, but…"

He turned away. Robin knew it was because he wanted to hide the tears, so he took him into to the living room and made him sit down in a chair.

"We will take care of the kids, so you only have to concentrate about yourself."

He went back to the other titans, who had begun to get the kids into bed. He found Raven, who was trying to explain what just had happened to some of the kids.

"…she was called back by God. He was missing one of his…"

She looked up and saw him.

"…angels. Just a moment."

She stood up and walked over to him.

"How is he taking it?"

"Not good. I didn't knew, that you believed in God."

"I thought it was the best way to tell it to them."

He pointed over at the kids.

"Raven, do you think your three can handle this?"

"Yeah, why?"

He looked down.

"It's Starfire. I have tried to contact her several times, but she haven't answered."

-

He felt like someone was shadowing him, so he quickly turned at a corner and waited for his pursuer. He could hear the footsteps coming closer. Who could it be? Slade? No, it wasn't his style. Only a few more steps and then the pursuer would turn at the corner. Robin went into attack mode and got one his Bird-a-rangs ready.

The pursuer turned at the corner. First Robin couldn't see who it was, but then the light revealed him. The Bird-a-rang felt down to the ground.

"Nice to see you have forgot everything."

The pursuer picked the Bird-a-rang up from the ground and inspected it.

"Good work."

He threw it back to Robin, who caught it with ease.

"What are you doing here?"

"Alfred said you had visited him."

"What do you want?"

Batman took something from his utility belt and gave it to Robin. It was an envelope.

"What is that?"

"Open it."

He opened it and saw there was a check in side. It was on half million dollars to St. Johns.

"Thanks, but why?"

"Call it an early Christmas present."

He called after the Batmobil, who soon after came racing down the street. Batman went over to it, but stopped and took something from his belt and threw it to Robin. It was a set of keys.

"What is that?"

"A new R-Cycle. Alfred said it was the next best present you could get."

He jumped into the Batmobil and drove off.

-

The Titans Tower laid down in darkness, which increase his worries for Starfire. Why had she left St. Johns so sudden? If something had happen to her…then it would be his fault. He should have check up on her. He was the leader, but so much had happen. He reached the door to her room and gentle knocked on it, but nothing happened. For a while he just stood out there in the dark, but then he heard something. It came from her room. Could it be…? He cautiously laid a hand on the door handle and pressed down.

The room was like the rest of the tower – dark. There was the sound again. He looked in the direction from where is had come from and found Starfire. She was lying on the bed.

"Starfire?"

She didn't answered. He sat down on the bed and put a hand on her shoulder, but she turned away.

"What's wrong?"

She still didn't answer. He felt her pain and wished he could take it away from her, but how? He didn't even know where it came from.

His communicator crackled for a second, before he heard Cyborg's voice.

"Robin?"

He answered it.

"It's Gary. We need your help?"

"I'm on my way."

He ended the transmission and stood up. Starfire, who had heard the whole thing, turned around.

"What have happen?"

"Mr. Williams have died."

She could see the pain in his eyes as he answered her question. Maybe he didn't care for her in the same way as she cared for him, but he was still her friend – her best friend.

He turned around and was just about to go, when he felt a hand on his arm. He froze as she came closer. If he just could tell her how he felt, then… but they were just friends.

"I know how much she meant for you. Elmer and now her; it is good you have Sam."

There was something in her voice.

"Sam is gone."

He could see the surprised on her face.

"She have left the home and aren't coming back."

"But…"

She stopped herself and hugged him instead. Sam had left St. Johns, but why? She had seen them together!

As they ended the hug he got a good look on her face. There were dried up tears on her cheeks, which indicated she had cried in a long time. He just wanted to take her into his arms again and never let her go. Suddenly he remembered something. Airmid! She had been right. As he looked at Starfire he question himself if the price wouldn't be too high, if he didn't changed. He couldn't stand to lose her, but he also knew she was able to care of herself.

He looked into her eyes and saw for the first time, what all the others had seen for months. Sam had been right.

Without hesitation he leaned towards her and kissed her.

_The End of Phoenix I_

_(Continues in Phoenix II)_

_

* * *

_

  
_Preview of Phoenix II: Flames Without Limits:_

_A year has passed and the Titans have grown up a little. Robin and Starfire are together, but there comes a mar in their relationship, when Sam comes back. Starfire haven't forgot, what she saw that day. After a big argument Robin leaves the tower and doesn't come back for a day. When he finally comes home he is changed! Starfire tries to apologize, but he seems more interested in Raven…_

_Okay, not everything is what it seems like – especially since Airmid comes back and ask Robin for help. _Can he save himself and the world, as we know it?

_

* * *

_

_Next in _**The Phoenix series**:

_Phoenix III: The Secret Flame_  
- Dick discovers a big family secret and finds out why Slade is so interested in him. In the same time he also needs to adjust to his new skill, before it's going to kill him.

_Phoenix IV: The Ring of Fire  
_- Not long after leavening Teen Titans Dick gets an offer he can't refuse. It takes him into a whole new world, but is he really finished with Teen Titans?


End file.
